The Gleaner article published on Sunday October 30, 2016 under the headline ‘Somebody Lied, 26 Babies Died’ is irresponsible, inaccurate and an absolute misrepresentation. Furthermore, the article seeks to undermine the integrity of the Ministry of Health, the committee formed to investigate the cluster cases of GBS related deaths and healthcare professionals at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital.

The committee report which was issued to the media and posted online, fully disclosed the following facts:

Monthly neonatal deaths between the period January - September 2016, which showed 29 neonatal deaths between the months of August - September 2016 (page 8)

Of the 29 neonatal deaths, 4 were confirmed to be death by GBS infection ( page 1)